The Lost Uchiha
by Thine Dreamer Doth Take Flight
Summary: A revamp of an old idea...Madara's little sister sees what he will become and takes action to prevent him from destroying not only the Uchiha clan, but the world as she knows it. Can she succeed? Terrible summary, better story.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: After reviewing my old version of this and realizing how crappy an Uchiha OC would be in the **Naruto** universe of present—as in when Naruto has just become a Genin—especially because of the Uchiha Massacre and its motives, I decided to remake and redo Neko Uchiha and her story. Meet Takara "Neko" Uchiha, and judge her not on how she used to be, but how she is now. Please read on and enjoy, my friends._

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**The Lost Uchiha**

_Prologue_

_Long ago, before the Village Hidden in the Leaves formed, there were many ninja clans feuding amongst one another. Standing above the others were the rival clans of Senju and Uchiha, the former master of the will of fire and the latter in possession of a powerful optical kekkei genkai known as the Sharingan. At the top of Senju was the man that would become the First Hokage of Konoha, and his rival at the head of Uchiha was a simple man by the name of Madara. Standing behind them were the to-be Second Hokage and Madara's siblings. In the Uchiha's case, of course there was the brother who gave his life to give his eyes to the leader of the clan for the sake of the clan, but there was also another sibling, one who preferred to stay in the shadows._

_She stayed unknown as the clans of Senju and Uchiha fought in missions trying to prove who the better ninja family in the Land of Fire was. It was by her decision that she went unknown and hardly participated in the battles, for Madara would have preferred to have her by his side to ensure his victory against his enemies. She felt she was more useful off the field than on due to the skill unique only to her. Sometimes she would receive visions, flashes from the future, that could help the clan prepare for something they otherwise wouldn't see coming. When she received them, it would render her weak and unable to fight, thus making the battlefield a dangerous place for her. Though it bothered him, Madara agreed her visions did help and kept him ahead of Senju just enough that no one second-guessed their power. Her power would be useful in fights, but if one of her uncontrollable visions came on in the heat of combat, she would be at risk._

_The sister had been content to remain where she was for as long as the clans were at odds, but then something changed. One night while dreaming she was struck by the far future, a time when the Uchiha clan was on its last legs and their homeland was on the verge of war because of one of the last of her clan. The visions shook her terribly, causing her to cry out into the darkness and forcing her out of sleep. Her scream was so terrible it brought her clan members to her quarters. Only Madara, as head of the clan, entered and sent everyone else away. She trembled for a long time, something she had never done before, and found little comfort in the arms of her brother._

_When at last she could find the strength to speak, she could not look her brother in the eye because he was the reason she was so frightened._

"_Brother," she whispered, turning away from him and pushing his arms off of her. "…I saw something that drives fear into the whole of me. Our future…It looks bleak."_

"_Whatever it is, Takara, we can overcome it. You have seen it, so therefore we can prevent it. Just tell me what you saw and let me help you, Sister," Madara said, standing up since he sensed his sister's coldness towards him and wanted to mind her feelings._

_Takara shook her head. "This cannot be stopped, Brother, by us or any other clan. We are powerless to prevent what fate has in store for our clan…or for the rest of the Land of Fire for that matter. We are all in grave danger, danger that we cannot escape."_

"_Tell me, Sister, of this danger," Madara urged._

_The sister brushed aside her sheets and stood, setting her bare feet down on the cold wooden floor. Straightening her pale blue kimono, she strode past her brother towards the window to look upon the ever-present moon. She rested her pale hand on the glass as she contemplated her words, feeling her brother's eyes on her always and knowing she could not lie because he would see right through it. As leader, he needed to know everything she knew. It was her duty to serve him loyally…no matter what._

"…_In the future…There is no Uchiha clan. Not really, anyway. Only three remain, and of those three one's life will be extinguished long before the others. He was the last of our noble lineage without darkness in his heart…He died an honorable death." Takara closed her eyes as she recalled watching the last good-hearted Uchiha fade from the world in front of his own brother, trying to keep her composure. She could not be overcome by her emotions now. She had to continue her story. "…The other two are tainted with darkness that threatens to destroy the Land of Fire as well as the entirety of the world. One is the younger brother of the good Uchiha, a misguided child driven to evil by the massacre of our clan when he was but a boy. Having learned why our clan was slaughtered, he has gone mad and seeks to destroy those responsible along with the rest of the world. The power he wields…is truly terrifying. And as for the last of our lineage alive at the time…He guides the misguided on the path of darkness for his own dark purposes. He wages war with all of the great nations of our world, intent on possessing all of the tailed beasts and using their power to reflect his Sharingan off the moon's surface to submit the world to his will. Do you know the identity of this man?"_

"…_How could I? I cannot foresee things as you do," Madara commented, a bit shaken due to the information his younger sister had just revealed to him about the fate of the Uchiha clan in this future she saw._

"_Brother." She turned and glanced over her shoulder at him. "That man is you. You will become the darkest of all the Uchiha. You will aid the murderer of our clan in ending us and then you will lead the only survivor to madness and destruction." Tears welled up in her gray eyes as she looked upon her brother, who had been nothing but kind to all those he knew save his rivals. She could not picture him as such a criminal if not for her vision. How could her brother, leader of the strongest clan in the Land of Fire, become such a monster? How could this come to pass?_

"_Me? But how? Could you have possibly mistaken me for-?"_

"_Madara!" Takara interjected before he could finish his question. "You know my visions expose the identities of those within very clearly. I am not mistaken nor do I lie. Our inescapable fate will be set in motion by your hand. The noble Uchiha clan will crumble away, become corrupted, and fall into despair by the time of the Fifth Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves in the Land of Fire. There is…nothing we can do to stop it now. The knowledge of what will happen…will just haunt us until death takes me from this world."_

"_No…There must be something we can do to keep the Uchiha clan from collapsing, or at least, keep the world from being destroyed by my hand and that of the misguided Uchiha. Think, Sister. There must be something we can do," Madara insisted._

_Takara closed her eyes, her heart aching within at the sound of her brother's desperation. She wanted there to be a way to save her descendants, to ensure a brighter future for her beloved clan, but there was no way. This wasn't one of her visions that could be changed. It was set too far in the future for her to do anything, or for anyone alive in this time to do so. If only she could be there in that instant…If only she could be there to put a stop to her brother's plans…_

_Then it came to her._

"_Brother, I have a possible solution, but it will take some planning and preparation. But before I continue with this, you must swear to me that you will tell no one of what I have revealed to you or what I am about to suggest," Takara stated with a scowl that let Madara know how serious this all really was._

"_You have my word. What is spoken here shall never be repeated," Madara promised._

"_Good." She turned to face him completely now. "Brother, the only way to possibly save the world from being destroyed by your hand is for me to be there to stop you. I don't know how you managed to live so long, or even ceased to age much in the future, but it happened and we must find a way to counteract that. I am the strongest ninja in our clan behind you. My eyes are just as keen as yours, having taken them from our little sister as you took yours from our brother. They both sacrificed much so that we could become stronger and lead our clan into the light of victory. Their sacrifice must not be in vain, Brother. We must find a way to preserve my body and my soul until the time when I am needed to combat your darkness. And I think I know a way to do it."_

_Madara looked unsure and hesitant, a feeling which Takara understood. She was, as of now, his last sibling and his strongest ally. Their brother and sister had given their lives with their eyes to keep them strong, leaving them alone in this world to move on to the next. Unless their mother managed to have another child, if Takara disappeared, Madara would be completely alone. Not only that, but the Uchiha clan would lose a valuable asset without her visions or her ninja skills. Would they be able to compete with Senju if she was to go into hiding to save the future?_

_Her brother took a deep breath before meeting her gaze. "If you believe there is no other way, then do what is necessary. I may be the future destroyer of the world, but that is not who I am now and I will do whatever is necessary to stop my future self now. If anyone stands a chance of stopping me, it is you, my dear sister."_

"_Thank you for understanding, Brother," Takara murmured._

_He stepped forward and encompassed his little sister in his arms, bringing her into a tight embrace that revealed what he truly felt about the situation. "Just promise that you will not forget how I am now when you see who I become. Remember me, Neko, as your kind older brother…and not as a madman wanting to control the world."_

"…_I will, Usagi," Takara vowed, returning the use of her nickname with his._

_Thus, Takara and Madara went about finding a place to store her until the time came for her to be of use again. They stayed even further away from the battlefield while keeping the rest of their clan in the dark about what they were up to, for if they knew what the fate of the Uchiha clan was, it would only cause panic and despair. Takara found the scrolls she required for this jutsu buried deep in the vaults of her family and Madara located a place deep within the forests in the side of a mountain that would go unnoticed by anyone who might happen by the area._

_The sister, knowing the jutsu better than her brother, prepared for it alone while he stood by. It had taken too much time to find this place along with the scrolls; the clan was demanding to know why they were dying in battle against Senju while their leader and his right-hand woman stayed away. She knew if this was not done now, the Uchiha clan might meet an even earlier end than the one she foresaw. She needed to get out of Madara's way so he could return to his duties as leader of Uchiha. She could not keep him from that—she wasn't meant to stand in his way until when he became dark._

"_These scrolls have a purpose beyond keeping me alive and preserved," Takara told him as she unrolled the texts and set them around the place where she would be laid to rest for the foreseeable future. She had already done the same with a similar scroll at the entrance to this cave. Madara had watched all of this without asking any questions, though she could tell from the look in his eye that he had nothing but inquiries. "Once the jutsu is set in motion, this place will become sealed off. Anyone who exits this place will forget about its existence as well as my being here. It's a precaution in case you decide to eliminate me as a threat when you become evil."_

_Madara nodded once. "I understand. If I was to remember where you are when I become evil, no doubt I would take your life. Even with you being my sister, I do not believe that would keep me from doing such a thing."_

"_The jutsu will come to an end just as the life of the noble Itachi Uchiha comes to pass. I will be freed then to take his place and combat you alongside all the ninja you will declare war on in your need to control the world. It is only then that we will see each other again, and when next we meet, I fear that one of us will die," Takara admitted, straightening as she finished unwinding the last scroll. _

_She met his gaze evenly, though her gray eyes were filled with tears. This was the hardest part of any departure…Saying goodbye never became any easier. A single tear rolled down her pale cheek as she turned her face away. "…Brother…Do not forget me, no matter how tainted you become. I am making a great sacrifice for our clan and the world here by throwing my life away so that I may live later to defeat you. Perhaps it is not as great as the sacrifice made by our siblings, but still…When I awaken, only you will remain from this time. I will be alone. That saddens me more than knowing what will become of you. I have…never been alone before. But if you vow to remember me, I will feel a little better knowing that I will not be just another person in the past that faded from existence. Can you make that promise, Usagi? Will you always hold the memory of your younger sister in your heart, no matter how twisted it becomes?"_

_Her brother stepped forward and took his little sister in his arms, holding her so tightly that it was as if he was afraid she would disappear forever in this instant if he let go. She buried her face in his shirt as they stood there, embracing one another for the last time. Takara did not want to do this. She didn't want to be seen as a runaway from her clan when they needed her the most and disgraced for what would be seen as abandonment. She didn't want to have to leave her brother when the clan needed her. But she couldn't afford to waste any more time. The remains of the future Uchiha clan and the world needed her then to stand against the dark creature her brother would become, and that was more important. Madara understood that, which was why he never argued against her plan or tried to make her stay. She had little doubt that if the rest of the clan knew, they would not have been as understanding as her brother._

"_Neko, you have my solemn word. I will never forget you even when I am overcome by darkness. As long as blood still runs in my veins, you will be in my heart," Madara declared as something wet fell onto Takara's face and she realized her brother was crying as well. She could not recall a time when he had cried before, except perhaps when their siblings had been laid to rest after giving up their eyes, and sadly realized how hard this whole thing really was for her brother. He wouldn't be losing everyone he ever knew, but he would be losing his sister for the foreseeable future. Even when they would meet again, things could never be as they once were. She felt his grip tighten around her and wished their fate didn't have to go this way, but there was no other way for it to go. "I love you, my sister."_

"_And I love you, my brother. Nothing will ever change that," Takara murmured._

_She slowly pulled out of her brother's arms and turned her back on him as she strode over to her temporary casket. Only when she stood in front of it did she dare look back at him for the last time. Misery and despair danced around in his dark eyes, but other than that and the few tears that remained on his face, he showed no sign of the sadness of losing his last sibling. Takara could only wonder if she looked similar to him in that aspect while hoping this would not be for nothing._

"…_Farewell, Madara," she said unemotionally, trying to forget the pain within for now._

"_Farewell, Takara," Madara muttered with just as few emotions as his sister._

_The sister watched her brother leave, knowing as he walked out that he would never remember what had become of her and she would become lost. Only when she felt his presence no longer did she lay down within her casket and begin the hand signs for the jutsu, tears still falling from her eyes as she reflected on everything she was giving up to ensure the future would not be brought down by her brother and the only other Uchiha. Once the jutsu was set in motion, the scrolls around her would react to the unleashed chakra, sealing her away until the day Itachi Uchiha died. She knew not how long that would be, not exactly, but it would be a long time to spend in misery. She closed her eyes one last time as she completed her last hand sign, not wanting to watch what happened next for her own good._

_Her jutsu sealed her in time and place, and the scrolls around her became active with her discharged chakra. They caused what used to be a cave to become part of the mountain again, blocking off any chance of someone coming to destroy her or to be unlucky enough to stumble upon her hiding place. She would be hidden until the time when she was needed again._

_As was her plan, Madara completely forgot about what had become of her and returned to the clan alone. They questioned what had happened to her, but their leader had no answers. In the deepest depths of his heart, he wanted to search for her, but a part of him knew he couldn't do that. She wouldn't have wanted for him to waste his time on her and he needed to be the leader of the Uchiha clan now. Her family did not believe her a deserter—some thought Madara and Takara may have been in battle on their journeys and she might have perished then but Madara did not want to speak of it—but they never stopped wondering what had become of the young woman. She never reappeared in their lifetime nor was her body ever recovered. Thus she became known as the Lost Uchiha while her clan lost out to Senju and the Village Hidden in the Leaves was established with the leader of Senju as its First Hokage._

_Fate was set in motion now, and no one, not even the Lost Uchiha, could stop it._

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Chapter 1

Many years later, Takara gasped for breath as her jutsu reached an end and she was finally set free. For her, it felt as if only a few moments had passed, but she knew that was not the case. If her jutsu had come to an end, it meant that Itachi Uchiha had just died after battling his younger brother and Madara would be moving in on the young Uchiha. She didn't know if she could move fast enough to stop her brother from reaching Sasuke because she had no idea how close to them she was at present, but she had not forgotten her whole reason for making herself live longer than she should. She had to stand against who Madara had become and set the misguided Sasuke down a righteous path that would not result in the destruction of the Land of Fire or the rest of the world.

The dark-haired girl struggled to get out of her ancient casket, her body stiff from disuse over the course of generations. With such a body she could not hope to beat Madara in a challenge of speed. She would have to recover quickly if she ever wanted to protect the Uchiha from becoming completely corrupted. Reaching for the staff she had left with her before starting the jutsu so long ago, she forced herself to stand and used some of what remained of her chakra to reawaken her strength. Swearing at how little chakra she had left, Takara grimly acknowledged the fact that she would not be able to fight Madara if she encountered him. Keeping the jutsu going over the course of so many years had drained her reserves to near emptiness. It was all she could hope to do to keep noble Itachi's body out of his hands. Keeping Sasuke from him was another story entirely.

She removed the scrolls from the entrance, tossing them aside as they no longer served a purpose, before running out of her hideaway to see where she was. How shocked was she when she emerged right onto the former battlefield of the Uchiha brothers! In the changing times, the place she had chosen to be her resting place had become something else entirely only to be destroyed by Sasuke's rage against Itachi. Only the lower levels of this mountain remained intact, which was how she had not been destroyed during their battle. Quickly, Takara jumped towards the spot where the brothers lay, one dead and the other very weak. She did not sense Madara or anyone else yet, but she knew from her vision that it would not be much longer until he would come with the one called Zetsu.

Itachi's body she put within what had been her casket, only this time she set the lid in place before leaving. He would not be going anywhere, and when her chakra recovered she would seal him away forever just as she had been sealed away. Her time was even shorter now—Madara was not too far away at this point. She quickly tossed Sasuke's body over her shoulders despite its weight and her weakness after being frozen for so long and took off in the direction opposite of where Madara was coming from, careful to avoid coming into contact with anyone. Her only option at this point was to lay low until she could find a way to bring both herself and Sasuke to the Leaf village. She didn't know how long that would take or how much danger it would put them in, but she had to save the Uchiha clan from destruction. She could keep Sasuke out of Madara's hands for some time…or at least until she became strong enough to fight her former brother. Then it was up to him what he became.

_If I must and there is no other choice, I will kill Sasuke myself, _Takara thought as she fled what had once been her brother and the sacred battlefield of brothers from a fallen clan.

She ran until she could not run anymore and was far enough away from all people to go unnoticed. Knowing Sasuke was suffering from the difficult battle with his older brother, she realized she could not ignore his wounds any longer. The young woman found a cave in which to keep him, regretting that she had no supplies in which to use to help him. All she had was her staff and his sword. Using what little chakra she had left, she tended to his wounds as best she could, healing them so they would not bring death upon him. Letting him die here might be best for the world…If her visions were anything to go by, it might very well be the case. But she could not bring herself to let him die. He reminded her of her older brother, the one that had given his eyes so his brother might see again. They looked so much alike…She wondered if perhaps Sasuke and Itachi were descendants from her long-dead brother and his wife. It was possible…

Takara removed the jacket she had worn over her kimono and laid it over Sasuke's unconscious form, wondering if she was being foolish in trying to save him from himself. Seeing what he could do through her flashes from the future, it seemed practically impossible to keep him from causing such destruction. The better thing to have done was let his fate play out as she had seen it and to just prepare for battle against her bro-

_No! _Takara mentally snapped, shaking her head. _My brother is dead. I promised him I would remember him as he was, not as the monster he has become in this time. That man who wants this boy…He is not my brother. He is just Madara Uchiha to me now. I must not forget that._

She left the cave to collect some food for herself and Sasuke. With any luck, he would be out of it for several more days, which would give her time to regain her chakra so she could fight him if necessary. His teammates might wonder what happened to him—Madara would be looking for him for sure—and there would be others wondering what became of him after he completed his vengeance. The last thing she needed was for him to wake up while she was practically powerless to keep him where he was only to have him run off and fall into the fate she was trying to keep him from. But even if he didn't run, there would still be a lot of questions, and several of them would be about her existence when the entire Uchiha clan had been wiped out in a single night. She could not conceal her identity; the crest of her family was emblazoned on her kimono as well as her jacket and the armor she wore over her clothes. He would know she was family as soon as he saw her, for she bore the characteristics of all Uchiha as well. Dark hair, dark eyes, pale skin…She could not lie to him about herself.

_Even if I do not have the strength to show my Sharingan, he will know I am of Uchiha blood same as him. If this was any other time, he might be glad to know of another family member. But this is not any other time. Sasuke has known his brother hatefully, and the only other relative he has in existence is evil. Surely he will see me as an enemy despite our shared blood and distrust me. I would in his position,_ Takara thought. _Is it even possible to gain his trust, given his past? It will take a lot of time, but I'm sure if I try and am honest with him, he will come around._

Takara returned to the cave with what she found in the surrounding forest. She leaned heavily on her ebony staff, cursing her weakness due to her unused body and wishing she had prepared for this a little better. She struggled to make a fire without use of jutsu, namely the Fireball Jutsu, and felt very out of practice with the basics of being a ninja. She was just about to give up when she heard Sasuke stirring. It seemed a little early for him to be awaking, especially considering the battle he just went through, but he was a peculiar boy. The only relief she received was from the knowledge that his fight rendered him without chakra, so he could not run or hurt her with the aid of jutsu. She set down the food and turned to face Sasuke as he sat up groggily, holding his head in his hands like he had a huge headache. She knelt in front of him just out of his reach in case he decided to try and hurt her.

"…Who are you…?" Sasuke asked, looking over at her with a hateful gaze. He had seen the emblem of his clan on the jacket covering him, and now that he saw her he had noticed similar emblems on her clothing. He knew who she was already—an Uchiha.

She sighed and closed her eyes, contemplating her words. "I am Takara of the Uchiha clan. I am not your enemy. You have no reason to fear me, Sasuke."

His dark eyes narrowed. "How…How can you still be alive if you are of my clan? There is only one other Uchiha still alive at this point…and he's named Madara. How could you have survived without anyone knowing?Who the hell are you? What do you want with me?"

"Sasuke, have you ever heard about an Uchiha that went missing without explanation? It happened before the village you know as Konoha was formed, back when the ninja clans were still divided and the world had no hidden villages. Have you ever heard of it?" Takara wanted to know, hoping that somehow she had not been forgotten by her clan even after all this time.

"…I have not heard of it, but…When I uncovered the secret meeting area of my clan and learned of Madara, I did read about a missing Uchiha. She was referred to only as Neko, though, and there is no way you could be here if you are her. I don't even know how Madara could possibly be alive, let alone you. You can't be her. You look to be just older than me," Sasuke muttered.

"…You're right. I shouldn't be alive. If I had not sealed myself away from the effects of time without anyone knowing what happened to me, I would have been dead long ago," Takara admitted. "Sasuke, I am Neko. That is the nickname my older brother gave me when I was a child. You have no reason to believe me, or to even listen to me, but you must know that I would not lie to you. I saved you from darkness that would have descended upon your heart had you lain next to your brother a moment longer. I saved you from the Akatsuki and Madara. You have to believe, even just a little, that I'm here to help you, not cause you harm like others from our family."

Sasuke made a sound of disbelief and looked away from her. "Yeah right."

Takara gave him a small smile. "Someday you may come to believe me."

She returned to trying to make the fire for their food only to continue to fail. Sasuke watched her out of the corner of his eye, noting her struggle with slight amusement. It was only after watching her for a few minutes that he actually stepped in to give her a hand if only for his own benefit. Using the little chakra he had regained since passing out a few hours ago, he performed the Fireball Jutsu to ignite the wood she collected. Whispering her thanks, Takara continued to prepare their meal, hoping that some part of Sasuke knew she wouldn't hurt him and that she was only there to help him. She really wanted this to work out and for her sacrifices to not be for naught. But the chances of that looked bleak; she had to acknowledge that if she were to have a chance of bringing him into the light out of reach of darkness. His fate she had seen and it didn't look promising. She would have to fight to change that.

After sitting silently for several minutes while the food cooked, Sasuke's curiosity got the better of him.

"How did you know my name if we have never met before and you come from the past?" he demanded.

"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me," Takara replied, watching the flames rather than looking at him.

"I have no reason to believe you, anyway. It makes no difference," Sasuke grumbled.

"You're right, but I cannot begin to earn your trust by sounding insane," Takara said.

"You also can't earn my trust by not answering my questions," Sasuke countered coldly.

The elder Uchiha sighed. "You are right of course, Sasuke. All right. I will attempt to answer you, but you must not jump to conclusions about me from this, no matter how crazy it sounds. No doubt you've had your experience of craziness in your life and perhaps this will not be too hard to grasp then." She took a deep breath before continuing. "Ever since I can remember, I have had these flashes…visions, if you will…of things that haven't happened yet but soon will. I cannot control when they happen nor can I stop them from happening. They reveal to me what will happen, though I cannot pick what they show me or have it bend to my will. In other words…"

"You can see the future," Sasuke finished for her, sounding cynical.

Takara nodded. "I know, it doesn't sound possible but it is. That's not what's important. One night these visions came onto me and showed me the future, which is this present time, where the Uchiha is dead and the only remaining members of the clan are full of darkness and hatred. That is how I learned of you and of Itachi and of what Madara has become. I have seen much of your life, Sasuke Uchiha, including the dark path ahead of you if you meet with Madara. He spews nothing but distorted truths to turn you in any way he wants. You must not go to him no matter what, Sasuke. If you want the truth, turn to me before you turn to him."

Sasuke huffed. "Like I have a reason to turn to either of you. I don't know either of you and so far you both sound like psychopaths."

"That's Uchiha for you," Takara teased. "We're all a bunch of psychos."

"…Well…Can't argue with you there," Sasuke muttered, finally agreeing with her on something as she handed him something to eat. "…So…How do you know when you get a vision?"

"Trust me, even you will know when I get one," Takara assured him. "That is…if you stick around long enough. You're not in any real condition to move after your fight with Itachi, nor am I in any position to do much in my weakened state. We both need to take time to recover from our dilemmas." _I just hope I can recover enough before the Akatsuki come after him. Otherwise…Everything I have done will be for nothing._ _I cannot let the trials of the Uchiha clan and its sacrifices be meaningless._

_I must tarry on despite the obstacles…for Uchiha's sake as well as the world._

* * *

_A/N: It's a bit weird, but I hope 'Neko' is no longer impossible or all that Mary-Sue-ish. This is just the first chapter, after all, and anything can happen. And yes, she did give her brother the nickname that means bunny/rabbit in Japanese. They were close as kids and gave each other playful titles. I will attempt to make her a big sister figure to Sasuke, which will be hard because he's a jerk-face at this point in the series, but I accept the challenge. Thank you for giving this story a chance. Please do not flame it. Thank you for reading; have a wonderful day!_


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: I apologize to those of you who read the first chapter and were waiting for the second one. I was busy for awhile and couldn't update. Let us return to the tale of the Uchiha clan now to see where it will take us next. Please read on and enjoy, my friends._

* * *

Chapter 2

Takara ventured out of their hideout later that day to hunt down another meal, leaning on her ebony staff a little less than she had before. Though little time had passed, her strength was returning to her quicker than she expected. At this rate, she would have her full strength back in a few days, four at the most. She was not alone in this, however. Sasuke's strength was returning just as quickly. If he chose to fight, she wondered if she would be able to take him. She hadn't fought in so long while he had just fought the battle of his life and her techniques were outdated while his were so much newer. He had a hand over her, she knew, from what she saw in her visions; she never could fight him without being at her full strength, and even then it would be unlikely she would emerge victorious. She hated to admit it, but Sasuke could very well be stronger than her, and therefore had the potential to be stronger than Madara.

_I pray I do not have to regret not killing him when I had the chance, _the woman thought, glancing back at the cave where Sasuke was before continuing along her route. _I do not want to be responsible for all of the destruction he may cause because I could not bring myself to end him at his weakest. If this happens, I will be worse than Madara for letting it happen when I could have stopped it. Such a burden is one I could not live with._

It probably would have been better if she had had Sasuke accompany her, but he was not willing to move due his tiredness. She doubted he would have come, anyway, considering how distrustful of her he was because of her being an Uchiha same as him. The thought of him fleeing in her absence was fleeting—he was still a bit too weak to be doing that and he wouldn't get very far. Of course the question was more of if she could catch him if he tried rather than if he would run. She had been quick back in her day, but that was so long ago. Even if she hadn't aged, her body still felt out of practice. Sasuke was used to using his to its fullest. He had an advantage of her in that field as well.

As she gathered fruits and such from the forest and stored them in her balled-up jacket held within the crook of her left arm, she wondered if she would be safer using the Transformation Jutsu to hide herself from anyone that might be out here. Though she hadn't sensed anyone earlier, there was a good chance she could have missed someone with her lack of chakra. Her dark eyes kept a close lookout for anything out of place, something that could have been easier with the Sharingan but she could not activate it with her chakra as low as it was at the moment. She would have to take her chances here and chose to stay in her true form; how much harm could that do?

Takara deposited her spoils and her staff on the bank of a river as she removed her armor and her shoes. Plants alone would not be enough to sustain them, so she would have to fish for some real nourishment. She wondered if she might be able to do this in her weakened state, but she had managed to do it earlier with only a little difficulty. She dropped her kimono next to the rest of the clothes, so now she was only covered by a pair of pale blue shorts and a strip of red-and-white cloth over her chest. It was not often she was ever this exposed, but she would prefer to keep her dress from getting soaked for comfort reasons. She withdrew the knife on her left thigh usually concealed under her kimono before leaping into the water.

Without using any jutsu, Takara easily managed to slay five large fish with that knife and her speed. She resurfaced and deposited the catch on the nearby grass along with her weapon. The brown-eyed woman stayed in the water for a moment to catch her breath, leaning against the bank as she brushed the damp hair away from her brow. Swimming shouldn't have taken so much out of her, but she assumed it was because she was still weak from being out of it for so long. She closed her eyes and just tried to regain her steady breath.

"…Are you going to hold that sword over my head forever or are you going to use it?" she asked suddenly as her eyes flashed open and she was staring at a bandit brandishing the silver blade.

"Out of the water, lady, and don't make any sudden moves," the bandit ordered, kicking aside her knife as well as her staff. Everything she had collected was scattered in the same motion, something that slightly irritated her but she did not let that show.

"I don't know why you're targeting me. I have no money or anything of value on me," Takara calmly said. She slowly climbed out of the water, trying not to make any movements that might be considered sudden. This guy was no match for her; he wasn't a ninja in the slightest. She just had to find an opening to take him out as quickly as possible. Stalling for time was all this would be.

"Maybe not, but a pretty thing like you has to be worth something to someone. I'll fetch a fine buck for you from someone for sure," the bandit sneered, keeping his blade close to her in case she tried something. His eyes studied her like a predator might look at prey. "What a wonderful slave you'll make to a wealthy man while your purchase puts money in my pocket."

"Oh, so you plan on selling me as a sex slave to some pervert who can't get a woman any other way, huh? How disturbing," Takara muttered. "It seems that things haven't changed very much since the last time I was awake. Men are still such pigs."

"Watch your tongue, lady, or else I might just have to cut it out. A mouth like that will lower your price," the bandit growled, forcing the flat of his blade against her throat. She felt the sharpness digging into her collarbone but she felt no fear of him or the weapon. War was worse than anything he could do, and she had been in war before. This was nothing…But then again, she had not been so drained during battles in the war between Senju and Uchiha. Still, she didn't think he could succeed in hurting her.

"Do you really think I'll let you do this to me? Have you any idea what power I possess? You probably don't even know what I am, blinded by your selfish greed as you are," Takara taunted with a strange smile as she glanced back at the bandit.

"What you are is a future conquest for someone who is going to make me not have to work again," he replied.

"Wrong."

In the blink of an eye, Takara disappeared, leaving the greedy thief confused as to what had just happened and where she had gone. She reappeared behind him and quickly twisted his sword-bearing arm behind his back along with the other in a single hand. She grabbed the back of his neck with her other hand, causing him to grunt in discomfort. He was lucky that was all he was feeling at the moment—she could have just as easily broken his neck and ended his life right then and there.

"Perhaps you should choose your targets a little better, sir," she hissed in his ear as she increased the pressure on his wrists and forced him to release his weapon. She kicked it aside without glancing down, an old habit in case her prey managed to escape her grasp so he could not become armed quite so easily. "Choosing to go after a ninja was a huge mistake, and it will be your final mistake made in this life."

The man began to beg for his life, but it was too late. She was set on making him pay for planning on selling her as a sex slave and holding her at the end of a sword; there was nothing he could say to change her mind. Once the heart of an Uchiha was set on something, it could not be altered to another path. She knew that from personal experience, which just made it more of a challenge to save Sasuke Uchiha from himself since he was just like her because of his lineage. But he was not on her mind at the moment—all that consumed her was the desire to end the life of her enemy. She increased the power of her grip on his neck and started to twist as the man's pleas turned to screams…

But before she could even come close to finishing this, she was suddenly hit by an unstoppable force. It drove her to her knees as her head throbbed and her mind was filled with images from a time not of the present. She held her head in her hands, trying to remain sane while taking in what the future had in store for her. This sudden onslaught of visions caused her to lose track of her enemy, something she regretted in the deepest part of her consciousness but could not focus on for anything. She was, in a manner of speaking, vulnerable and helpless because of something she could not control.

As she came to herself again, she heard the death cry of the bandit behind her along with the dropping of his blade. Takara slowly turned around, wondering how he could have been killed when she had come out here alone, and received her answer. Sasuke stood above the corpse of the enemy, sliding his own sword back into its scabbard without any emotion on his face or in his eyes. She assumed he had followed her, or he had come after she had stayed away for too long at the very least, and decided to intervene when her life was put in jeopardy by her unique ability. If he was anything like her fallen brother Izuna, the one of which he reminded her, he would not have been able to sit by himself for long. He would need to do something even in his weakened state or he would go mad.

The brown-haired woman muttered her thanks as she forced her fatigued form to rise, feeling a bit strange to be so exposed in front of another especially since he was another Uchiha. The blood between them was rather thin, but it didn't make them any less family, and no family should ever see one another in such a state. She quickly moved to her clothes, became a bit irritated when she saw the dirt on them because of that rude bandit kicking her belongings around, and dressed once more in her kimono. It could be cleaned later when she did not have to shoulder the responsibility of keeping Sasuke on the side of the light on her own. She slipped her knife back in place on her thigh under her robes before replacing her armor, feeling Sasuke's eyes on her all the while but knowing he cared not for her and was only observing to observe.

"…What kind of ninja are you?" Sasuke asked rudely once the silence became too much even for him.

"One who has little strength after being sealed away for a considerable number of years and who suffers from uncontrollable visions of the future," was Takara's response as she collected her staff from the ground. "I didn't need your help…I could have taken him alone if I had another moment."

"It didn't look that way from where I was standing," Sasuke muttered.

"A difference of opinion, I suppose," Takara said. "…Why did you come after me? Were you bored in your solitude or was there another motive for it?"

"I wasn't planning on killing you, if that's what you're implying. If that was the reason, I obviously would have killed you right along with that bandit," Sasuke stated coldly. "Like you assumed, I was bored…But that's not the only reason I dragged myself out here. You were taking far too long to return and I sensed you might be in danger."

Takara raised an eyebrow. "Sensed? How did you do that with so little chakra?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I don't know. I just did. The same sort of feeling used to come onto me whenever Itachi was near as well, but I've never known why. It's just…one of those things, I guess."

"Interesting," Takara remarked. "I had a similar feeling when it came to my own siblings. Madara, Izuna, and Kiku…We were all connected no matter how far apart we were while we battled." She sighed and her expression turned sad as she remembered her fallen siblings. "Oh, if only I could go back to those days…"

"I thought Madara was your only brother," Sasuke commented.

"No…He was just the only one who lived a long life," Takara told him, meeting his gaze. "Itachi told you Madara took his brother's eyes, did he not? Well, that was somewhat true. Our brother Izuna gave his eyes up to him so the leader of the clan would not go blind and he would forever have his sight. Kiku, our little sister, made a similar sacrifice when my own eyes started to lose their vision. They survived giving us the eyes but would not allow themselves to sit on the sidelines when the clan was in battle. Izuna and Kiku…They died so we might live and lead the Uchiha clan to victory."

"And what good did that do? Look at what has become of the Uchiha clan," Sasuke bitterly pointed out.

Takara's eyes narrowed. "That was not our fault. Not entirely, anyway. It was the darkness of greed clouding the heart of Madara that made him turn on the Leaf village and Senju while the rest of Uchiha turned on him. And because he used his Sharingan to control a tailed demon in that final battle with the First Hokage, Konoha believed that—" Realizing what she had almost revealed, Takara fell silent and quickly turned away from Sasuke without desiring to explain herself further.

_No…I cannot tell him what happened that led to that night that haunted him, _Takara thought, recalling the visions she had received all those years ago that had caused her to seal herself away. _If I did, the same thing that would have happened with Madara would happen with me, and Sasuke would still be seeking revenge on the village. I have to wait until he has calmed down a bit more and has some trust in me. And I must decipher the meaning behind this new vision that has hit me here. If it means what I think it means… Then I was mistaken of the identity of he who would corrupt this boy._

"What did Konoha believe?" Sasuke demanded.

"…It doesn't matter. Besides, how would I know of anything when I've been locked away for all this time? I don't know…Perhaps Uchiha really was responsible for its own destruction," Takara murmured, casually brushing off the subject as best she could. She could see by the look in his eye that he didn't believe she didn't know anything and wanted her to reveal what she knew, but she couldn't do that. "Sorry, Sasuke. That is something I cannot tell you right now. Forgive me."

Sasuke huffed. "You irritate me."

"I'd rather be irritated than dead or evil," Takara countered.

"…Go back to the cave. I'll do what you were unable to due to…a nuisance," Sasuke said as his eyes momentarily shifted to the dead bandit before them.

Takara huffed and put her hands on her hips. "I'll have you know that I did get food for our meal just fine. That nuisance there just got in the way and had no respect. I'm very capable of doing things on my own, thank you very much. Just you wait until I have all my chakra back, Uchiha Sasuke. You'll see what a ninja I really am and then you won't doubt my abilities. There's a reason I'm the only one that can defeat Uchiha Madara, and soon enough, you'll know what that reason is. So don't be so damn quick to judge me over one bad mishap that happened when I had a vision and was drained, okay? Good!"

Sasuke smirked. "If you weren't so amusing, I might have left or killed you by now."

"You're in no condition to be killing me," Takara claimed.

With that, she turned on her heel and started back towards their little hideaway. She had purposely avoided asking him if he would return because she knew that such a question would only make him want to leave even more than he already wanted. She had answers to the questions he wanted to ask, and therefore he needed her in order to understand what he otherwise couldn't on his own. In her heart she felt he wouldn't leave, but her mind was more than aware that he could do what she didn't expect. She had barely an idea how his mind worked—her manipulation was basic for dealing with any person, a skill she acquired from her sister the master mind manipulator—so he was still very unpredictable. Not even her visions could reveal that information to her.

_There is so much even I don't know…Like who is this Tobi person pretending to be my brother so well that I actually thought it was him? _Takara wondered, even more puzzled than she had been when she believed her brother had turned to darkness.

* * *

"I can't believe this!" Karin hissed, pacing around the hideout of the Akatsuki where she had been brought by Kisame along with Suigetsu and Jugo after Sasuke and Itachi had failed to return from their battle. Some masked man called Tobi had appeared to tell them to go to this place without an explanation, and now that one had finally been given, none of Team Hebi was too happy about it. "How could this have happened?"

"Well, Sasuke was weak from his battle against his brother. He couldn't exactly protect himself from a kidnapper," Jugo pointed out as he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. "And since this kidnapper was another Uchiha…He had no chance."

"What really adds insult to injury was how she not only managed to take Sasuke, but also hid Itachi's body so no one could find it. It's almost like this lady knew what the Akatsuki was planning," Suigetsu remarked, lazily leaning on his stolen executioner's blade which was stuck in the ground. "Perhaps you guys aren't as sneaky as you think."

Kisame glared at the light-haired boy. "It's not that and you know it."

"Kisame is right. Uchiha Takara is an exceptional kunoichi with extraordinary abilities. Her knowledge of our plans is not surprising," Tobi said. "My sister's mind has not dulled in these years…And her speed is no less great despite being in rest for all this time. My, how she surprises me even now."

"Your sister? How is that even possible?" the red-haired girl wanted to know, turning her bitter gaze on the man in the orange mask.

"It doesn't matter. That's more of a story for another time. What's important now is the finding of Uchiha Sasuke," Tobi told her, purposely not answering her question. "As you three are his teammates, I'm entrusting you with the task of bringing him back from Takara's grasp. Kisame will accompany you and Zetsu will be watching from a distance. Do not fail or else there will be reparations you will not want to pay. You have a week's time to locate him and report back. If I hear nothing by that time, I will have Zetsu and Kisame take care of you. Understood?"

"…Are you threatening to kill us if we don't find Sasuke in a week?" Suigetsu demanded in disbelief.

"Yes, I do believe that is what he's saying," Kisame replied.

The violet-eyed boy scowled and turned to his companions. He hated being pushed around by anyone—Sasuke and Karin mostly—and he hated having his life threatened over stupid things. Both of those things were happening now and there was little he could do about it. Having sparred with Kisame while that idiotic Uchiha pursued his brother, Suigetsu knew he could not defeat the shark guy, alone or with the help of the others. He didn't know who Zetsu was, but if he was anything like Kisame they would be unable to emerge victorious from a fight with him as well. Facing both of them would just be deadly for Team Hebi.

_We have no choice, _Suigetsu thought bitterly. _We're going to have to hunt down Sasuke. But after we find him, I'm done playing the Akatsuki's game. I'll beat these guys in one way or another, even if it costs me my life. I'd rather be dead than a dog, anyway._

"…When do we leave?" Suigetsu asked.

"Suigetsu!" Karin snapped, outraged. "How can you just give into them like that? You can't be serious about this! A week is a ridiculously short amount of time to go looking for Sasuke and Takara! Not only that, but they're going to take our lives if we don't go through with it! We can't let them do this!"

"What other choice do we have, Karin? You saw how well Suigetsu fared against Kisame one-on-one. The members of the Akatsuki are far stronger than we are. If we don't do what they want, then we're as good as dead, anyway," Jugo reminded her. He locked his crimson eyes with those of Suigetsu, seeming to understand the unspoken thoughts of his teammate despite him not saying a word out of place. "At least this way there's a chance we leave with our lives."

_I'm not the only one thinking of ways out, at least, _Suigetsu thought.

Karin sighed and rested her hands on her hips. "All right. I don't like being servant to anyone or taking orders from anyone but Sasuke…But since I have no choice other than death I suppose I'll make an exception here." She focused her gaze on Tobi with some defiance that Suigetsu wished she wouldn't show because it could get her killed. "Though…I really thought Pein was in charge of this organization. Shouldn't he be the one ordering us around and not some lackey beneath him? Isn't that all you are, Tobi? Just some masked idiotic lackey?"

"Little girl, I'd watch my tongue if I were you. You keep mouthing off like that and you might come to your end a bit quicker than you think," Kisame warned.

"It's fine, Kisame. She has spirit and courage. I admire that," Tobi stated. "To answer your question, Karin…Not everything in the Akatsuki is what it seems. Sometimes the underling is really the leader, and sometimes the leader is the underling. Besides, even if Pein is leader, he doesn't need to be affiliated with such a lowly bunch. He would let me do whatever I please with you three if I asked; he wouldn't care if I didn't ask even." He turned his masked face towards Suigetsu, who was somewhat glad that Tobi hadn't been that offended by Karin's words but didn't let it show. "And to answer your question, Suigetsu, you leave as soon as you're ready. From that point on, your days become numbered unless you can find Uchiha Sasuke. Understood?"

Suigetsu nodded once. "Yeah."

"Kisame, I trust these people into your care. Don't fail the Akatsuki," Tobi said as he headed towards the door.

The blue-skinned man waited until the masked man left the room before facing Team Hebi. "Sorry to have to be hard on you lot, but the organization's needs come before courtesy and personal feelings. Not that I really have any connection to any of you but Water Boy over there, but still."

"Hmph! Don't act like you wouldn't enjoy tearing us apart when our week's up!" Karin growled, crossing her arms as she glared at the Akatsuki shark man.

Kisame shrugged. "Maybe I will, but it doesn't matter. Let's get you guys prepared for the mission. The sooner this gets underway, the sooner it can end."

_And the sooner our lives will be marked, _Suigetsu thought.

* * *

Takara held her hands clasped within her lap, trying to make sense of the visions which refused to be rationalized while Sasuke rested for the night. She doubted he was actually asleep—he didn't trust her enough for that, and if he was asleep, it was not deep—and just hoped his strength would not return as quickly as hers. He was still unpredictable, which meant he was just as likely to leave her as he was to stay or attack her. Her eyes flickered over to his form, not failing to notice how his hand rested on the hilt of his sword at his side, and once again she wondered if she had taken too great a task upon herself by making it her duty to keep Sasuke from turning to the darkness.

_Perhaps things would have been better if I had reemerged at a different time. Things may have been better if I came before he went to Orochimaru, or even after the massacre of our clan at Itachi and Tobi's hand, _Takara thought with a morose sigh. _I could have kept him from the darkness so much easier then. He would have found comfort in my presence as a child left alone in this world. Another Uchiha when all others had been killed save the ones responsible for his loneliness…Yes. Things would have been better then. But no. I had to choose this time when his heart is turned against Uchiha and all others. I should have thought this through better, but I had no time. I must live with my decisions, foolhardy as they were. The future of this world may depend on it now._

"Sasuke," she said and watched his hand's grip on his sword's hilt tighten. "I know you're awake, so…I thought I'd tell you that I'm taking up the first watch. I'll wake you in four hours…That is, unless you would prefer me to take up watch for the whole night. You are still recovering from your battle with Uchiha Itachi, so you could use all the rest you can obtain."

The boy's dark eyes flashed open to meet her gaze evenly. "I am not incapable of pulling my weight. My injuries are not that great because of what I must assume is your healing of them." He did not thank her for that; he probably saw it as just another ploy to get him to trust her and wasn't about to fall for it. "…It would be nice to know what exactly we need a watch for, though, so I wouldn't be in the dark about this."

"…We look out for those within the Akatsuki organization. For one reason or another… They want you on their side. Well, at least, their leader wants you, which means they'll do anything to get at you while you're not at your full strength," Takara told him.

"And by leader, you mean Madara," Sasuke assumed.

"That…That is something I am no longer sure of," Takara reluctantly admitted. When she noticed Sasuke's stare, she explained. "I may have been mistaken of his identity. In light of a recent vision I received, I have my doubts of the name of the Uchiha wanting to turn you to the darkness. He is going under my brother's name and knows things only my brother would know and acts much like him, but he is not Madara. The only other name I know him by is Tobi…I doubt that is his real name, but still…He was so good at pretending to be Uchiha Madara that I believed him to be so despite knowing the real man. How foolish of me…"

"Tobi, huh? I think I've met someone from the Akatsuki with that name once before…," Sasuke muttered with a shrug. He turned over so his back was facing Takara, but his hand never released his sword. "Take first watch if you want. Just don't get any ideas about doing anything to me, or else you'll regret it."

Takara smiled. "You sleep well, Sasuke. And don't worry about me doing anything. I'll be too busy saving your ass to think about attacking you."

The only sign that Sasuke cared about what she said was a barely audible snort. Not losing her smile, Takara grabbed her staff from the floor and stood. She wondered if she should put out their fire in case it attracted unwanted attention from things they would have to fight, but pushed the thought out of her mind. The night was somewhat cold—Sasuke might need the flames' warmth if even a little—and the fire would provide some light so they would not be in complete darkness. Without her Sharingan to shed light in the blackness of the night, she needed all the illumination she could get. Sasuke was probably in the same boat in this instance, though he probably would never admit it.

She found a seat within a tree nearby that gave her a clear view of the entrance of the cave while also concealing her position. The moonlight accompanied that of the fire just enough so she could make out the silhouettes of anything and everything that might come this way. She was satisfied with this place and, pushing all other thoughts out of her head, became focused on her objective.

_I may be a fool for many reasons, _Takara thought, _but I will not fail Madara or the Uchiha clan. I will sooner die than fail at saving Sasuke. If I fail…Only then will I truly be a fool._

* * *

"Pein, proceed with our plan. Attack Konoha with Konan and obtain the Nine-Tails. I will pursue the Eight-Tails on my own. Things may not have worked out as I planned thanks to a little nuisance uncovered after being lost for so long, but with our goal so close to being accomplished, I believe we can still succeed with or without the help of Sasuke. You have already succeeded in killing the Nine-Tails' guardian and our biggest threat in taking him is now gone. Your duty should be simple. And as for mine…Well, I have never failed in getting what I want before. This eight-tailed jinchuuriki should be no different. We will rendezvous in three days with both of our catches. Then we can truly begin our conquest."

The man with control of many bodies said nothing—Tobi didn't expect him to do so. Both just remained standing and staring at one another in silence for a moment before the masked man turned away and started out of the room again.

"You leave first thing in the morning. Don't fail, or else you may as well not return here," Tobi muttered, sounding so dark even for a man such as him.

"…The only way I'll fail is if I die," Pein stated. "…And what if Takara decides to interfere?"

Tobi stopped and glanced over his shoulder at the orange-haired man. "What do you mean by that?"

"She may be trying to lead Sasuke back to Konoha. If what you have told us about her is true, then she will be thwarting you by any means she can. Konoha is a place she knows is full of good people, so therefore she might be taking him there to keep him out of your hands. If that happens, she may interfere with my mission," Pein commented. "What do you want me to do if she does interfere?"

"…What else? Do with her what you would do any other ninja," Tobi replied.

Pein seemed slightly surprised by this statement. "Do you not care for her?"

"…No. Our blood ties have thinned. If she dies, it will not be me who weeps if one should weep at all. Uchiha Takara…means nothing to me," Tobi declared coldly.

"That is a strange thing to say about your sister," Pein remarked.

"That sister is only here to kill me. Why should I care for my assassin?" Tobi countered.

* * *

_A/N: Once again, I am sorry for not updating sooner. And if anything seems strange in this story, it's because I don't know too much about what's going on in this part of **Naruto** due to having not seen or read too much of it. All my info comes from my books (28-30, 42-46, 50) of** Shippuden**, the episodes I have on DVD (Season 1 Box Set 1-3) of **Shippuden**, and the internet. Some things may be off, but I hope it's not too bad. Anyway, what did you think of this chapter? Please tell me kindly. Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day._


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: This story has only one review at this point in time, but I don't care. I love **Naruto**, I enjoyed the concept of this story, and I'm not about to give up on it. So even if no one reads these words, I'm going to keep at it. Believe it!_

* * *

Chapter 3

The morning arrived while Takara was asleep, greeting her with the rays of sunshine that managed to reach her inside her and Sasuke's little hideaway. She was reluctant to awaken, having only managed to obtain around four hours of rest, but knew she could not ask for more. Slowly she opened her dark eyes and pushed herself into the seated position, yawning and stretching out her tired body. She had a bit more strength now thanks to the rest, but she was still a long way away from having all of her energy back. Three more days—she needed that many to be back to normal. She wondered how long it would take for someone like Sasuke to be back at full strength and hoped it would be longer than that.

Though she still wasn't strong enough to engage anyone with ninja skills above a Genin level, she knew they could not stay here much longer. No doubt Tobi would be pursuing them in order to make Sasuke his pawn. If he hadn't started already, he would be starting soon. She and Sasuke were far enough away from his and Itachi's battleground to avoid detection so they wouldn't be found so easily, but not enough to avoid being found upon further search. They would have to move on before that could happen. She didn't know all the strengths the members of Tobi's organization had at their disposal, but she was willing to bet they were far above Genin scope and she would stand no chance against them if they found her.

The fire she had left lit last night had burned down to nothing but a few smoldering ashes. Takara wondered if perhaps the hatred within Sasuke's heart could do the same and if he would ever truly trust her. It didn't seem likely. When she had come to wake him for his watch, he had drawn his blade on her and almost pressed through the nape of her neck. If not for her quick reflexes that allowed her to block his sword with her staff, she might have been hurt or killed. He put his sword away once he realized who it was, but he did not apologize for his mistake. He just walked right past her to take up the second watch without a second glance. He hadn't trusted her and probably assumed she had been trying to kill him. Would that dark-eyed boy always be making those assumptions about those around him because of what he was? Or was it just her he distrusted because of what she was? The latter seemed more likely.

She stood, holding her staff protectively in front of her, and walked out of the cave in search of Sasuke. He may not trust her, but she knew he did trust her instincts and might believe her if she said they needed to move on. If he didn't trust her instincts, after all, he wouldn't have agreed to take up watch when she asked. Her dark brown eyes looked about for him but could not find him so easily. He had hidden better than she had last night probably because he didn't want to risk her finding and killing him. Using the Sharingan might make finding him a bit easier—she now had enough chakra for that—but she didn't want to squander energy she was just beginning to recover. Keeping her guard up in case he decided to attack her again, she called out to him.

Silence answered her, but she did not drop her guard nor did she speak again. She felt the air behind her stir and spun around, bringing her staff up with her left hand to keep the blade from touching her as its wielder might have wanted. In the same motion, Takara withdrew her knife from her thigh with her right hand and moved for his throat only to have her arm restrained by her attacker's free arm. They stood there, locked in threatening stances, glaring coldly into each other's dark eyes for what seemed like forever but were only mere seconds.

"…Don't try that again, Sasuke," Takara growled, knocking his blade down with her staff before lowering her wooden weapon. "Next time you may not be so lucky."

Sasuke huffed as he released her arm and sheathed his weapon. "Right."

"Doubt me all you like, but one of these days you're going to regret it. Just you wait," Takara claimed while putting her knife back where it belonged. "May I ask why you thought to attack me?"

"…I was bored. And after seeing you fail to finish off a simple bandit yesterday, I thought I'd see how you would react to an attack come morning," Sasuke replied coolly. "You're still not very impressive. I could have broken through your guard easily if I really intended to kill you. That, and you were too slow to react to my presence behind you. At least it was better than you were against that nuisance. I'd have to say you have the skills of a Genin or a weak Chuunin, but I have yet to see your jutsu, so perhaps I'm overestimating you."

"Funny. I wish I could say the same about you," Takara muttered. She couldn't hope to insult his ninja skills because she had seen them in her visions and knew he was far beyond the scope of Genin and Chuunin. His jutsu put him at least at Jounin level, the same level she was considered back in her day. She wasn't overestimating him like he assumed he was doing for her; if anything, she might have been underestimating him.

"And why can't you? You haven't seen my power yet," Sasuke remarked. Then he remembered her special ability and added with a grunt, "Unless that was something you saw in one of your 'visions,' that is."

"Do not mock what you cannot understand, Uchiha Sasuke. You can try to deny it all you like, but you know that I am not lying about those visions. You saw what happened yesterday when one came onto me while that bandit was present. Can you not say it happened in an instant and left me vulnerable as I described? Do you believe I faked it just to try to get you to believe in me?" Takara demanded.

"…Maybe. But you did not know I was there until I revealed myself. I know that much," Sasuke admitted. "Faking it without knowing I was there would have been pointless, given what position you were in then. I doubt you were faking, but getting me to believe in these visions won't be that easy."

"Well, it's at least a start," Takara said.

"Why did you want me?" Sasuke asked, referring to her motive for calling out his name before he tried to attack her.

"I wanted to tell you that we need to leave this place. We've stayed too long and if we dwell here much longer, someone might happen upon us. And I'm not saying someone like that bandit or a weak ninja. No. I mean someone from the Akatsuki that Tobi sent to retrieve you and end me. We are in no condition to be taking on anyone that strong, alone or together. You are still weak from your battle with your brother and I am the same from being sealed away. We must move on before they have the chance to find us," Takara explained. She knew retreating was not in Sasuke's character, but hoped that her reasoning might appeal to his logic so that he would go along with her.

"…How soon do you expect them to begin the hunt?" Sasuke wanted to know.

"Considering how important Tobi considers you to be, I'd say it's probably already started," Takara told him.

"…Well then…," Sasuke grumbled, brushing past her. "…I guess we'd better start moving."

Takara smiled a small smile before turning on her heel and following him. He might be broken on the inside and easily misguided by darkness, but he was no fool. He knew when to let things go or when he wouldn't stand a chance in a possible confrontation. She couldn't help but admire him then because his intelligence made her not have to argue with him much. She wasn't ever very good at arguing and she definitely didn't want him to find out about that. He'd use that to his advantage, but what was worse…

He would never let her live that down if he knew.

* * *

It wasn't until after midday that the Uchiha duo stopped, and only because both were too tired to go any further. They found themselves outside a small village with a predicament that needed to be addressed. They were marked by their clan symbol as well as their generic Uchiha appearance; they risked being recognized for their lineage in this village even though it wasn't necessary close to the Leaf village as Uchiha was a well-known family. They had enough chakra to perform the Transformation Jutsu, but they both had reasons for not wanting to do it. Sasuke didn't really care if he was recognized and Takara didn't want to use chakra when she just started regaining it. But even so, they knew better than to push their chances.

Takara and Sasuke performed the hand signs and transformed in a puff of smoke. Takara's long dark brown hair was now short and orange while her eyes became blue. Her clothes became a light green sleeveless top with a short white skirt and mesh leggings with her black high-heeled sandals. Sasuke kept his hair style but turned it blonde and made his eyes blue as well. His clothes consisted of a dark blue short-sleeved shirt and light brown pants with dark blue sandals. He kept his sword in place on his back as usual and Takara kept her staff in plain sight; after all, they wanted to mask their true identity but also didn't want to look like an easy target to anyone that might foolishly go after strangers.

"We can't risk using our names here. If anyone from the Akatsuki shows up asking about us, they would know we came this way," Takara pointed out. She also wanted to rub his nose in the fact that he had taken some of his transformation traits from an old friend she had seen in her visions of him, but knew he probably wouldn't react well to that.

"Then what do you suggest we go by?" Sasuke asked.

"Well, I do have my nickname Neko that I could use…But I doubt it would work since this Tobi guy knows of my past. Let me think here," Takara said, pondering. "I'll be Haru Aki and you can be my brother Daiki. It'd be a fitting cover if anyone should ask who we are. I mean…That is…If you don't mind pretending to be my brother. I will not force you to do anything that might make you uncomfortable."

Sasuke snorted. "Like it really matters. It's not like there's much choice. The better thing to be asking is how we're going to find a place to stay when we have no money."

Takara smiled. "Leave that to me, Brother."

They entered the tiny village in their disguises, attracting no more attention than any other group of strangers might in a place like this. The populace was mostly farmers and shopkeepers with a few other careers mixed in; overall, it seemed to be a homely little place that couldn't hold any danger. But both Uchiha knew that danger exposed itself in the shadows of the night and they could not truly let their guard down for a second. Even so, there would be more good than bad people in this village and Takara knew how to play on the emotions of such people to get them to do what she wanted. It was a skill she learned from Kiku, her older sister with the power to manipulate minds better than any other member of their family, and one that had saved her time and again. It may even have been a better gift than her eyes…

An elderly woman with a boy about their age and two preteen girls were being harassed by some adult men with nothing better to do caught Takara's attention. This was a hidden danger exposed in new light. She cast a glance in Sasuke's direction and gestured towards the group to wordlessly convey her intentions. He nodded once to acknowledge it before the duo turned towards the commotion. The thought of Sasuke not holding back and killing the bullies came into Takara's mind, but she doubted he would risk blowing their cover in the heat of battle. He was more careful than that, and not such a mindless killer that would needlessly take lives.

As the men pushed down their victims again, Takara moved in between the two groups, diverting their attention to her and not to Sasuke or the family they had been assaulting. They laughed at her interference, clearing believing they could take her just as easily as they were taking the others. She said nothing to them, but dared them with her eyes to try. Their moves were made—she simply dodged the attacks and fought back with her staff to knock the enemies down. There were too many for her to focus all of her energy on at once and keep them down, so Sasuke jumped in and used his unsheathed sword to achieve victory here. The female Uchiha was surprised he didn't trust himself to use the actual blade in this battle, but supposed it was better for him to be safe than sorry. After all, they only had one chance to do this right. Death wouldn't help matters in the slightest because no one would house murderers even if the death was an accident as a result of them protecting the innocent.

Only when the abusers were beat enough to stay down did Sasuke and Takara withdraw their attacks. The bullies were granted their opportunity to leave, which they gladly took, and were told to never return, which was unlikely to happen because their kind never did follow such orders. Sasuke watched for any sign of their foolishness while Takara checked up on the old lady, the teenage boys, and the little girls.

"Oh, thank you so much. Those boys are always picking on everyone, thinking they run this town and such. It's been getting quite bothersome lately," the old woman Hitomi remarked as Takara helped her to stand. She brushed the dirt from her kimono with a smile that didn't fit after what had just happened to her. "Oh well…That's just how the young people are these days. Always picking on their elders…"

"Grandmother, you act like it's not a big deal. No one should treat anyone like those idiots treat everyone," the teen Katsu stated, put off by his grandmother's easy-going behavior when it came to that gang.

"Yeah, Grandmother! Those Kunai Brothers should be put in their place!" the preteen twins Aimi and Aina agreed in unison.

"Well then. Maybe these strangers that saved us from them can help us out," Hitomi suggested. "What, may I ask, are your names?"

"I am Haru Aki, and this is my younger brother Daiki," Takara introduced, gesturing at Sasuke as he replaced his sword on his back.

"Strangers are far and few in coming, and especially none as kind as you two have proven to be. It's a nice change to have some kind young folk such as yourself in these parts. And such strong ones as well," Hitomi commented.

"Who are the Kunai Brothers?" Sasuke inquired.

"They're a gang of jerks who have the nobles wrapped around their fingers. They bother anyone that's weaker than they are whenever they get the chance," Aimi explained.

"They're ruffians and they take everything they can from people who can't fight back against them. They usually target kids and elders like us and push us around until we can't get back up, and then they go into our homes and get everything of value we have. They've made quite a few families have to move out with all the terror they've caused," Aina continued with a scowl. "I wish they would just hit the road and leave us alone, but like Aimi said, the nobles can't kick them out because they've got too much power now."

"Sounds like someone should take care of these Kunai Brothers," Takara said.

"Easier said than done, Aki. The only people that can take care of those guys are ninja, and whenever we try to send someone to a hidden village they're stopped and attacked by the Kunai Brothers. At the rate they're depleting the wealth of this town, we won't have enough money to hire ninja for much longer, either," Katsu grumbled.

"We could help you out. All we ask for in return is a roof over our heads and something to silence our stomachs," Takara told them.

"I don't know what harm it could do to have you around. You did save us from those men, after all," Hitomi murmured with a grin, though she did seem to have some reluctance to let strangers into her home.

"Grandmother, they could be wandering ninja concealing their identity so the Kunai Brothers don't know what they're dealing with. We hafta let them stay," Aimi whispered.

"Yeah, we gotta," Aina agreed in just as soft a tone as her twin.

"No. Absolutely not," Katsu declared, surprising his family. "Grandmother, these two are not the first strangers to come to this village claiming to have the power to save us from the Kunai Brothers. Others have defeated some of their men to show their potential, but in the end all have fallen. It won't be any different with them and we shouldn't waste our time or what little money we have on sheltering them. You know what happens to those found to have housed people who act against the Kunai Brothers. Think of your son and your daughter-in-law, our parents, and how foolish they were when it came to something like this. Do you want to put Aimi and Aina through that again? Do you want to be put through it again?"

Hitomi sighed, losing her smile that she had kept since Takara had seen her. This was a bad sign, one that made even the female Uchiha wonder if perhaps her skills had become useless in the course of so many decades. She glanced back at Sasuke only to find him as steely-faced as ever with no indicators on what he thought of this situation. He probably didn't care what happened here and would rather just move through this village already. But both of their bodies were nowhere near fully recovered; they needed to rest as much as possible if they ever wanted to regain their strength. Taking out a gang of pushy men with no ethics would be cinch even in their state and might open up a better opportunity to recover than they could find wandering. After all, there were several villages this way to confuse the Akatsuki as to which direction the remaining Uchiha had gone and this was far enough away from Sasuke's battleground that it would take time for them to come here. They could stay until their strength returned if only the people would give them the chance.

"…Katsu, I'm no stranger to what the Kunai Brothers are capable of. None of us are anymore," Hitomi said, looking her grandson in the eye. "My son, your father, and his wife were brave taking in those warriors in hopes of restoring peace to our village. You cannot say those people did not put up a good fight, either. They took out over half of the members of the Kunai Brothers before even one of them was brought down. It was only because the Kunai Brothers playing dirty that they managed to defeat those three, and even then it was close. But as you know, all of the warriors were cut down and given a traitor's burial despite being heroes and those that had given them shelter were hunted down. Your mother and father, my son and my daughter-in-law, as well as myself and my grandchildren…We were all victims of their violent counter to the warriors' attempts to free us from their tyranny. Your parents took the brunt of the blame because they were not old or young and it was their idea to let them inside…and that is why they are no longer here."

Aimi and Aina broke down in tears as their grandmother recalled that terrible day. Hitomi took them in her arms and held them tightly, but she did not lose her nerve or reason for bringing up such a painful topic.

"They may not be here anymore, but their dream lives on through us all. The chance for freedom has come again, and I believe these two strangers can finish it at last. They dispatched those bastards without breaking a sweat just like those warriors did upon their arrival. They have the strength to do good here, so I will not become a coward over old memories of what once became of such dreams. I will stand strong and take death if it must come to that," Hitomi declared, shocking her grandson with her defiant statement. She then turned her green gaze towards Takara and Sasuke. "You are welcome in my household as long as you promise me one thing. End the tyranny of the Kunai Brothers, or die fighting as heroes so that I may die a strong death like that of their parents."

Takara bowed her head. "You have our word."

The old woman smiled again. "Thank you. Now let's go inside before too many people see you. I want you to fight, for sure, but not so soon. Let us have the Kunai Brothers on their toes for awhile, shall we? It'd be a nice change to have them in fear for once."

Katsu shook his head. "You are a fool, Grandmother. And you've condemned us all."

* * *

Hitomi extended the greatest of hospitality towards Takara and Sasuke, something that the female Uchiha was used to whenever she pulled someone's strings in order to get them to do what she wanted. It had happened so many times in the past when she went on a mission that required her to infiltrate as someone she was not. However, this time she felt different. It was almost like a huge weight sat upon her heart, causing her a great deal of emotional pain she couldn't completely understand. She had heard stories like Hitomi's before and it had never bothered her in any way. Why was it so different now?

Perhaps it was because circumstances had changed. Before Takara had a family of her own to which she answered and could return to whenever she pleased. That was no longer true because the Uchiha clan stood near its end now, with her and Sasuke being the only confirmed members still in existence. Tobi might be another and there was still the question of what may have become of Madara, but that didn't change the situation of their clan. Knowing what the loss of family could do to someone, she felt more inclined to help these people so they would not lose anyone. But in her weakened state, could she pull through?

She had asked many questions of the old lady and knew much about the enemy. There were no ninja in their ranks, or if there were, they were terrible or had dropped out of the Ninja Academy and had only the very basic skills. After the confrontation with the three warriors brought in by Katsu and the twins' parents, only about forty or fifty men remained in the gang. None of them had any reason to be spared, so they could be killed—that was what the warriors had done—without any hesitation. They were stronger than most men and had a whole arsenal of weapons at their disposal. Though they pretty much ran the village, they did not actually live in it. Rather, they had a place in the surrounding forests in which they spent their time whenever they weren't harassing the villagers. If Takara and Sasuke were to go there, they might be able to take out a good number of the Kunai Brothers before those fools knew what hit them.

"Shouldn't you use a blade? Those kill people faster than staffs ever could," Aimi pointed out, picking Takara's staff off the ground with the help of her sister after Hitomi had gone into the kitchen to make lunch.

"The weapon doesn't matter. If it's in the hands of the right person, even a blade of grass can be lethal," Takara informed the pink-haired blue-eyed twins as she took her weapon from their hands. "Besides, what makes you think I don't have a blade? Just because you don't see one doesn't mean it's not here. A good warrior always has her secrets."

"Secrets which you'll be taking to your grave," Katsu muttered.

"Don't doubt us, Katsu. You have no idea what we're capable of," Takara rebuked.

"No, but I know far too well what the Kunai Brothers can do. I've seen it before and I don't care to see it again," the pink-haired green-eyed teen stated bitterly. "You claim to be mighty warriors that can free us, but I've heard that lie spoken in this house before. It cost my parents their lives six years ago because people just like you filled this whole village with false hope. Now you've gone and made my grandmother believe in this lie again, but it's just going to have the same outcome. You're going to die. The Kunai Brothers will kill you and Grandmother. Then what will happen to me and Aimi and Aina? We'll have nothing and suffer the pain we experienced when our parents died all over again."

"…Are you always this whiny?" Sasuke asked in a bored tone.

"Are you mocking me?" Katsu demanded, turning his hard gaze on the Uchiha.

"You think you're the only one that's ever lost family? Don't be so dramatic," Sasuke muttered. "People die everyday. Orphans are made every minute and that's just the way it is in this world. You're not so special."

"My parents were good people! They didn't deserve to die just because they made a mistake believing in false hope!" Katsu exclaimed.

"It doesn't matter how good of people they were or how deserving they were to die. You should just be glad for what you had left. Things could have been much worse," Sasuke said in his same old cold monotone.

"And how's that? What's worse than losing your parents right in front of your eyes and being powerless to stop it?" Katsu shouted.

Sasuke met his angry gaze with an icy one. "…You could have lost everyone."

Katsu's anger was forgotten in an instant, replaced by miserable shock. "…What?"

"You could have lost everyone. They didn't have to stop with your parents. They could have slit your grandmother's throat and let her blood splatter all over you as her eyes glazed over and her body fell lifeless in front of you. They could have done the same with Aina and Aimi and dropped their bodies beside you like they were dolls. All of your family…Your aunts, your uncles, your cousins…They could have all be slaughtered right in front of your face while you had no power to stop it. You could have watched helplessly as they were all killed, and then what?" Sasuke paused and turned his face away from the frightened Katsu, seeing something only he could see. Takara, who was holding the trembling forms of the twins in her arms, wondered how far he would go to scare this kid. Hadn't he gone far enough? His eyes darted back towards the boy to claim otherwise. "You think they would finish you off and spare you the misery of having to live with such pain on your chest. You pray for it, but then they decide to let you live. Live and suffer knowing you are the only one still alive. That is what's worse than only losing your parents right in front of your eyes and being powerless to stop it."

He was speaking from experience, an experience that had driven him down the path he had walked for all these years. Takara understood his pain far better than most because she had seen what he had seen due to her visions. She felt none of the attachment to the slain that he felt, of course, because she had not known those people. All of her family had died long ago in battle or of old age. She had lost them without having to watch their deaths; only the deaths of Kiku and Izuna could come close to the pain Sasuke had suffered when he witnessed the Uchiha Massacre. Even then she could not relate.

No one in that room could ever relate to Sasuke where family was concerned.

"…You sound like…you've been through that yourself," Aina sniffed.

"…That's…That's a terrible thing to live through," Aimi whimpered.

"It is," Sasuke agreed quietly.

"But…But you didn't lose everyone. You still have your sister Aki, don't you? At least… At least that's someone," Katsu pointed out, trying to give a silver lining to Sasuke's situation even though he had been trying to cut down the false-blonde moments ago. "And Aki, you still have your brother Daiki. Doesn't that diminish any of your pain?"

Takara and Sasuke exchanged glances, unsure how to go about lying about this particular part. The female wanted no part in this talk considering Sasuke had brought it up on his own and she figured it was his responsibility to pull it off the rest of the way. Besides, she had only wanted to pretend to be his sister. This was going past pretend into reality, a border she preferred to stay away from on one side or the other. Mixing imagination with reality never ended well. Sasuke could handle this since he brought it upon himself.

"…Not really. Aki wasn't there when our family died," Sasuke admitted, and the only part of it that was a lie was her name. "She was gone for a reason long forgotten, which is the only reason she is still alive today. Her pain over losing everyone is not as great as mine since she did not have to watch it and the bodies were gone by the time she came home so she did not have to see them as they were in death. We have never been close despite being siblings and the last of our family. We just started traveling together again because she insisted upon it and she always gets her way. But the pain…It's still as great as if I lost everyone even with her here because in truth…I did lose everyone that day."

He blended the truth with the lies so well; Takara doubted she could have done it that well herself. His false-blue gaze met hers and she understood what he had really meant by his response to Katsu's inquiries. It had little to do with her—he hadn't really even known she existed until yesterday—but more so to do with Itachi. His elder brother, a member of the Akatsuki up until his death, had slain all of their clan. It had left only Sasuke and Itachi, but in reality only Sasuke remained because his brother had been lost to the darkness. He had truly lost everyone that day, and that pain had returned with the true death of Uchiha Itachi. If not for her and the remaining evil Uchiha that went by Tobi—if he was an Uchiha and not just a Sharingan thief—Sasuke would be all alone. Perhaps he would have preferred that…but that was not an option at the moment.

"Let us move on from this grim subject, please. There's no point in dwelling in the past where things cannot be changed," Takara said. "We should be discussing our plan of action for how to take down the Kunai Brothers. We have our weapons, but what I would really prefer to use in this sneak attack are bombs, and unfortunately I don't have any of those on me."

"…All I have is my sword," Sasuke grumbled, but that was all the weapon he really needed. Not only that, but he had used everything else on his person during his battle with his brother. For that reason, Takara hadn't expected him to have anything else.

"…The warriors that were here before you…I think they left some of their supplies in our parents' room. No one has been in there since their deaths, but if you think it'll help, you can go check," Katsu reluctantly offered.

"…I see you've had a change of heart," Takara observed with a small smile.

"I was wrong about you. You know what it's like to lose people even more than we do, and now that I know that, I believe you will do whatever it takes. If anyone can take down the Kunai Brothers once and for all, it's you and Daiki," Katsu remarked with a small smile of his own. "Now come with me. I'll show you where they might have stashed their extra supplies."

* * *

That night, Takara and Sasuke slipped out into the forests and located the hideaway of the Kunai Brothers beside a small pond. The noise coming from the house made it obvious that most—if not all—of the members of the gang were in there at this time. These punks were making it a little too easy. The Uchiha landed silently on the roof of the building, hands full of both smoke bombs and regular bombs left from the warriors that came before them, and launched their attack on the unsuspecting men. The house caught on fire and the air filled with smoke as the ninja moved in for the kill.

Within ten minutes, all of the Kunai Brothers in that house were lying lifeless on the ground. Sasuke sheathed his sword, having not broken a sweat during his fights, and brushed a strand of hair out of his face that had fallen out of place because of his quick movement. Takara likewise felt that battle to be far too easy for ninja as strong as they were despite not being anywhere near their full strength. She glanced around at all the stolen goods that resided here, things that once belonged to the villagers, and figured it would be a waste if it just burned to the ground with this building. It would cost her quite a bit of chakra and put her behind Sasuke in terms of strength and healing, but she would have to use a Water Style Jutsu in order to douse these flames to help out those that were being so kind to her and Sasuke.

Without explaining herself to the male Uchiha, she dropped her staff and performed the hand signs necessary for the Water Dragon Jutsu. She wouldn't need it to be at its full force to put out this fire, which would save her some chakra, but she knew she would still be drained from this and would only have just enough strength to keep up her disguise. The water in the pond outside responded to her jutsu and rose out of the ground in the shape of a dragon to douse the flames. Sasuke gave her a strange look for her actions as the fire went out around them, before she did not have the strength to explain. Hell, she didn't even have the strength to stand anymore. She might have if she released her Transformation Jutsu, but she could not risk being seen as her true self. The female Uchiha fell forward as her knees gave out under her weight, and the floor rushed up to meet her…

Before she could fully collapse onto the floor, Sasuke reached out and caught her, something she hadn't expected him to do at all. He hated Uchiha for what Itachi had done and the Akatsuki threatened to do. She was an Uchiha, so therefore he hated and distrusted her with every fiber of his being. And yet he had chosen to show compassion towards her in her weakened state when he could have let her fall just as easily. What was with his sudden change of heart?

"…You're a fool, wasting your energy to save the belongings of weaklings," Sasuke grumbled as he adjusted her in his arms so she was easier to carry.

"Then why help a fool?" Takara asked as he handed her staff to her.

"…Because now you are all I have left," was Sasuke's vague reply.

* * *

_A/N: The end of a strange chapter, but I don't care. I like this, anyway. What did you think of this chapter? Please tell me without being rude. Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day._


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